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Topic: Avast Installs Chrome (Read 7333 times)

I just set up a new VM, installed Avast, and it installed Chrome, but never prompted me anywhere about it. It just installed it without asking. Now, I was going to install Chrome anyways, but... (From the download at CNET.)

I can't say I remember the last time I saw anything like it happen to me. I try not to install any software if possible, and am pretty careful about the software I do install. I almost thought it was a thing of the past now. Guess I was wrong.

It's been awhile since that practice was starting to become popular with certain software publishers. But from what I've read in several places, it seems to be on the rise again. And IIRC, it was always Chrome that got installed - which make me wonder what incentives Google is offering to software authors that this is now happening.

One move I've seen that's particularly annoying is to furnish only one installer for both the paid and unpaid versions of a product. The unpaid version is (supposedly) why the crapware gets installed along with it. But the problem is that if you did pay for the product you have to install it first in upaid/demo mode - and only then can you activate it with your registration key. So either way the junk comes along for the ride.

But from what I've read in several places, it seems to be on the rise again. And IIRC, it was always Chrome that got installed - which make me wonder what incentives Google is offering to software authors that this is now happening.

Quite.

Guess it's not evil to slip your software onto someone's computer without letting them know about it. Nope. No evil here. These are not the evils you're looking for. Move along...

At least with Open Candy it's right out in the open and obvious and you can opt out or opt in if you like.

I tried downloading something from CNET recently, and found that it wanted to use a CNET installer and was going to install other stuff. I left it and found the software available on Softpedia with no extra stuff. I can't remember what the program was, but I've avoided CNET since.

Google do seem to be offering incentives to developers for recommending Chrome or getting it installed - but then they have been large funders of FF and Opera as well as developing Chrome themselves. I think that is at least as much about opposing MS & IE, as it is about being the preferred Search Engine.

I tried downloading something from CNET recently, and found that it wanted to use a CNET installer and was going to install other stuff. I left it and found the software available on Softpedia with no extra stuff. I can't remember what the program was, but I've avoided CNET since.

That was definitely a jive move on CNET's part. But they got so much backlash on it that they now furnish a very discreet link on most software titles that will let you go directly to the developer's webpage. If you open the full specs link from the product's main page you'll find it. Unfortunately more than a few devs are now either hosting their downloads on CNET's servers - or have cut a deal with them. So now, even if you go to some dev's homepage, their download link will still direct you back to CNET for the actual download.

Avast Installs Chrome

In the case of a product like Piriform's CCleaner, the link goes directly to Prirform homepage. And the download can be done directly from Piri. But other products like Virtual DJ, just send you back to CNET.

I have a firm rule that if a product is only available using the CNET loader, I'll pass. There's enough good stuff out there that we shouldn't have to put up with that.

I tried downloading something from CNET recently, and found that it wanted to use a CNET installer and was going to install other stuff. I left it and found the software available on Softpedia with no extra stuff. I can't remember what the program was, but I've avoided CNET since.

That was definitely a jive move on CNET's part. But they got so much backlash on it that they now furnish a very discreet link on most software titles that will let you go directly to the developer's webpage. If you open the full specs link from the product's main page you'll find it. Unfortunately more than a few devs are now either hosting their downloads on CNET's servers - or have cut a deal with them. So now, even if you go to some dev's homepage, their download link will still direct you back to CNET for the actual download.

I have a firm rule that if a product is only available using the CNET loader, I'll pass. There's enough good stuff out there that we shouldn't have to put up with that.

I hadn't been aware of that move by CNET. I remember that the developer's site did take me back to CNET, so then looked around and found it clean on Softpedia. I think I must be operating the same rule as you.

In the past few months I've had quite a few unexpected 'offers' to install chrome (with other installs) - some were pre-selected but at least they were with an opt-out. I've read that Flash installed it silently in some situations recently (http://forums.adobe.com/message/4692105)What else was there lately - oh yeah, 'mega' from kim.com telling people they 'needed' to use chrome cause their curent browser not good enough.

So if you don't use a custom install, there's no option not to install it? That's still not kosher, IMO.

That kind of thing seems to be becoming more common in installers today (not specifically for Chrome, but installing 'companion software'). However, I agree that it's not kosher. A software installer should install the software I'm installing, not other crap that really has nothing to do with the software I'm installing.

But to help avoid this kind of thing, I always choose a custom install even if I have no real intention of customizing the installation. Every now and again, it catches something like this.

I agree but if you don't use custom install on every install you deserve what you get these days - especially when you are using free software.

I'd not say that. That's accepting that this is good practice. They need to be called on it. Especially with people out there who don't know this. How many computers have you had to service because joe normal used a regular install? If we excuse it, then that number will go up, and I wouldn't say that it is deserved, IMO.

True - I am not complaining but I do tell all my clients never install anything without going trhough custom or advanced options and reading what they are installing. I have cleaned up computers that have had literally half a screen of toolbars in Internet Explorer and the owner has no idea how any of them got there.

Having said that I think that anything that installs any extras or changes settings such as home pages and search engines by default are despicable. Unfortunately it seems the norm these days, even from companies like Microsoft who try at every opportunity to install Bing crap everywhere and change home pages to MSN - even through windows update!!!

I just set up a new VM, installed Avast, and it installed Chrome, but never prompted me anywhere about it. It just installed it without asking. Now, I was going to install Chrome anyways, but... (From the download at CNET.)

It's because you downloaded from CNET. They have a nasty habit of adding crapware and other software for a profit. Download Avast from the Avast website and stay clear of CNET.